Cholesterol Blood Test Fasting

Nowadays, cholesterol has become one of the most familiar words, as it is found to be among the common risk factor for a host of life-threatening medical conditions. However, such risk can be minimized, if you go for routine blood tests, to keep a check on your cholesterol levels. If it is found to be high, you can get it treated at the right time and ward off certain diseases. Those who go for this test, will be required to undergo fasting for a stipulated time, so that the test results are accurate. This article will provide you with some information about the fasting that needs to be done for a cholesterol blood test.

Fast Before a Blood Cholesterol Test

Before starting with the cholesterol blood test fasting, let us learn more about this blood test. A cholesterol blood test is conducted to find out the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Otherwise known as lipid profile testing, lipoprotein analysis and lipoprotein profile, this test is conducted to detect the levels of HDL, LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. While HDL is the good cholesterol and LDL is the bad cholesterol, triglycerides are fatty acids that form a major part of the fat deposits in the body. Cholesterol blood tests conducted at regular intervals may prove beneficial in reducing the risk of a various medical conditions like heart attacks and strokes. This type of blood test may require you to fast for a specific period, preceding the test.

Why to Fast Before a Cholesterol Blood Test

Fasting is almost mandatory in certain blood tests, like those performed to detect the cholesterol or sugar levels. The basic aim behind fasting before a blood test, is to come up with accurate results. Intake of food will affect the accuracy of the test, as the blood will absorb components of the food, that can affect the cholesterol levels, especially, the LDL(bad cholesterol) levels. But, some recent researches rubbish this claim stating that food consumption does not affect the cholesterol levels. However, fasting still continues to be an integral part of a cholesterol blood test, as there is no conclusive evidence to prove the contrary.

How to Fast Before a Cholesterol Blood Test

As mentioned above, a cholesterol test is associated with fasting. The time period for such fasting is often decided by the doctor and may range from eight to twelve hours. In some cases, fourteen hours of fasting is also recommended for a cholesterol test. It is always better to opt for an early morning blood test, as overnight fasting may not be so wearing. You must inform the doctor about your current medications and ask him whether you need to stop any of them (including oral contraceptives), till the date of the test. This is very important, as drugs like corticosteroids and diuretics, may affect the cholesterol levels. You have to avoid alcohol consumption, chewing gum and excessive smoking, two days prior to the test. You must drink enough water, so as to avoid dehydration. Drinks other than water are not usually recommended. But you may seek the opinion of your doctor regarding consumption of coffee, tea and other beverages. Above all, make sure to observe the fast for the stipulated time period, as this will help you in getting accurate results.

In short, cholesterol blood test fasting is not a difficult task, if you plan it in the right way. In other words, go for overnight fasting, if it is possible. Ensure that you do it properly, as per the fasting rules provided by your doctor. So, don't avoid or delay your routine cholesterol blood test because of the fasting factor. Above all, this small effort is intended to safeguard the bigger goal of sound health.